Percentage registering device



April 7, 1953 A. G. BROWN 2,633,819

PERCENTAGE REGISTERING DEVICE Filed Oct. 30, 1950 2 SHEETS--SHEET l .96 35 34 lll.

l In ven for" .ndrew -/azU/ April 7, 1953 A. G. BROWN PERCENTAGE REGISTERING DEVICE 2 SHEETS- SHEET 2 Filed Oct, 30, 1950 Patented Apr. 7, 1953 PERCENTAGE REGISTERING DEVICE Andrew G. Brown, Maywood, Ill., assignor to The Griiiith Laboratories, Inc., Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application October 30, 1950, Serial No. 192,979

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to weighing scales and in particular to percentage scales.

Heretofore, scales have been provided with separable registering indicators, in particular a true-weight indicator to register an actual weight and a percentage indicator to register a given percentage of that weight. The said true-weight indicator may be actuated either by the load being weighed, or manually to coincide with the registration of the conventional indicator which is actuated by the load being weighed. As incorporated in scales for pickling hams, the percentage indicator is arranged for operation to show a given percentage increase over the ham weight registered by the true-weight indicator. Such a scale is useful to permit injecting a predetermined quantity of pickling brine into a ham in proportion to the weight of the ham.

In the U. S. Jones Patent No. 2,157,795 a true- Weight indicator which is actuated by the load carries an auxiliary indicator pivoted to it to provide an angular separation between the two, such that the separated tips or other appropriate regions of the indicators comprehend on the scale dial a percentage of the load weight. Because the addition of brine to the ham causes the percentage indicator to move, a manually movable marker is employed to record the goal to which the weight of the ham is to be increased by adding brine. The auxiliary indicator is moved relative to the true-weight indicator by a cam having a contour designed to effect the proper registration. Thus, in scales having a non-uniformly calibrated weight scale or dial, the cam is specially designed :for its requirements. In said patent, however, the dial is uniformly calibrated so that over the range required for pickling hams, the cam may be shifted to diierent positions on a pivotal axis corresponding to a calibrated adjustment to register dierent percentages. A difiiculty with the particular construction shown in that patent is the apparent inaccuracy of percentage functioning at the zero weights and weights near the zero position for the various percentage adjustments permitted by the construction.

In U. S. Jones Patent No. 2,157,706 this difiiculty of registration at zero was overcome by providing different cams for each percentage for which it is desired to operate the scale. A` defect of the second Jones patent lies in the fixed percentages to which the scale may be adjusted, thus minimizing the flexibility of the scale for percentage uses.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a simplified percentage scale having a wide range of adjustments for percentage use, and the ability to function as a percentage scale over the whole range of the dial upwardly from zero, and especially at zero registration.

A particular object oi the invention is to provide a single cam such that it may be adjustably positioned for varying the percentage registered, with substantially accurate functioning particularly at and near the zero position.

Various other and ancillary objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and explanation of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a front View of a scale embodying the invention in a form particularly useful in a meat packing plant for pickling hams.

Fig. 2 shows a rear view of said scale with its back panel removed to illustrate the relationship of various parts.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary detailed4 vertical crosssectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2 showing the mounting of the two separable indica'tors.

Fig. 4 is a detailed cross-sectional view on a horizontal plane taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 showing the manner of mounting the indicators.

Fig. 5 is a detailed enlarged view of a portion of the cam with its cam-rider as positioned at Zero registration.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to or by the embodiment illustrated and described. One of the important uses for percentage scales is for pickling hams, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this field, and that modcations and refinements in structure, involving the present invention and other features of the illustrated scalo may be made for other uses.

In Fig. l, numeral il? designates c. scale base with a movable over-hanging platform il inclined to one side as a drainboard for carrying cti spilled pickle. Abcve platform Il is a grid of bars l2 on which is placed a ham to be pickled. The platform l l has a vertical rear splash board i3 to protect the scale mechanism. from contact with brine. The scale illustrated has a fan dial l5 uniformly calibrated, over which the conventional load bearing indicator l moves to the right from zero position. For percentage functioning there is a true-weight indicator Il' and a percentage indicator i3 which separate as they move together to the right over dial l5 from nonseparated positions Ila and 18a at zero registration. At the front panel 2U of scale base il), there is a knob 2l to be turned to move trueweight indicator` l1 to any position along the dial I5. Also on said panel is a percentage adjusting knob 22 with calibrations 23 indicating the setting for a predetermined percentage when a chosen calibration is positioned against fixed point 2d on the front panel 2li.

The functions of the parts above described are to be found in the said two Jones patents, but as operative therein, a difficulty is presented at every adjustment of the percentage control knob 22. The two indicators Il and i8 at zero trueweight registration must not move or separate. Although it is not practicable to use a percentage scale as such for loads very close to the zero position on its dial, it is very important that there be no separation of the indicators il and I8 at zero position. Any such separation at zero position leads the user of the scale, who may not know or appreciate the accuracy of the scale over the dial away from Zero, to believe that the separation is a constant error, or an imperfection, or a condition of improper adjustment. In consequence, the operator may be led to correct the upper and actual readings mentally to compensate for such believed error, with the result that the work required is incorrectly accomplished.

The presentV invention provides a construction assuring no separation of the two indicators of the percentage mechanism at zero position for every operating percentage for which the scale may be set. The invention uses the single pivoted cam of the Jones Patent No. 2,157,705 with modifications which constitute the present invention. rlhe change involves passage of the cam contour through the pivotal axis of the adjustable cam, and the location o the rider for Contact with the cam contour substantially at the Ycam axis for Zero positions of the percentage mechanism.

Inl Fig. 2 the three indicators iii, il and i8 are shown as long arms at the rear of the scale. Load indicator iii turns on axis 25 as doesarm Il. Arm 1S is carried by arm il on a pivot 2t, and the two arms are drawn together by tension spring 2l between ear on arm il and ear 23 on arm I8. relation between the movement of load indicator [E and true-weight indicator il', even though they are co-axial, the needle it is broken oil and is represented by dotted line 55a as it is actually extended and mounted to move about the axis 25.

The true-weight indicator il is moved 'manually by operation of the front knob 2l by any suitable mechanism. Across the rear of the scale (Fig: 2) is a mounting bar plate iii? in which is mounted a fixed shaft 3l (Fig. il on center 25. Shaft 3i has a reduced threaded end 32 cn which nut 33 is threaded against a friction washer Sti positioned to bear upon a collar portion 35 co-axial on center 255 and integral with the true-weight indicator arm il'. Collar 35 rests upon a spacer' plate 3d secured to bar plate 3%. Collar 35 and plate 35 are apertured for an axial stud 3l on which collar 35 turns when knob 2l is turned. The collar 35 has an arm 38 at the end of which there is pivotal connection at 39 to link dll. rlhe link :lll has rack teeth l engaging pinion d2 rigid on a shaft i3 which extends to the front panel 2d of the Vscale and there carries control knob E l.

rli'he percentage indicator it is cammed away from the true-weight indicator il against the force of tension spring 2l. For this purpose, a cam 5] is provided having a cam contour or line Since there is no mechanical functional 5| lying in a plane, which contour passes through the axis on which the cam body turns in its adjustment. A cam rider for the cam contour is so constructed that it effects registration of both indicators Il and le substantially at zero, within ordinary limits of observation, for all adjustments of the cam. Where a roller is employed as the cam rider, which is a mechanical expedient to minimize wear, its radius is small relative to the radius of curvature o the cam contour at its axis. This is exemplified by a cam roller t2 on the end of an arm 53 which is rigid with the indicator i3 and at an angle thereto. The cam 59 is pivotally mounted to the bar plate 30 on an axis which is normal to the plane of said cam line or contour 5i. However, the cam is so mounted that the cam line El passes through the said pivotal axis 55. Cam 5! has an integral arm 5d extending to the left in Fig. 2 for the purpose of moving the cam pivotally about its axis 55 by operating the adjusting knob 22 on the front panel 2i] or" the scale lil.

The knob is ri l with a pinion Se which meshes with a gear segment Si carried within the scale base by shalt t2 which runs from the front panel 2G to the rear of the scale where the shaft 32 bears in bracket 53. Near the bracket the shaft 62 has a rigid arm Sii connected by a pivoted link to the cam arm 55.

Fig. s shows one manner or" mounting the cam 5l! so as to permit its cam line 5i to pass through and be available at the pivotal axis 55. Bar plate 3@ has two spaced brackets lt and "ll secured to it between and to which is mounted the cam eil. Two forking mount-ing ears i3 and iii are secured to the cam lie and these are coaxially pivoted on the axis 555, to ears l and 'l2 by the illustrated pivot l' between bracket lll and ear l and pivot lt. between bracket 'il and ear lll.

iln Fig. 2 the cam-riding roller is illustrated in an upward position on the cam til because the indicator l' is at upward position on the dial i5 and raway from the zero point thereon. In this setting, if the percentage control knob 22 is moved counter-clockwise as viewed in Fig. 1 in order to increase the percentage to be registered, the cam Eil will turn clockwise on its axis as viewed in Fig. 2. This will move the cam roller 52 to eiiect a greater separation of the indicators l1 and i8 by moving indicator i8 relative to stationary indicator il. If the cammeo' roller 52 were in contact with the cam 5d at' the cam axis 55 as it is when the indicator il registers Zero, the cam may be moved freely to any adjustment for percentage without moving the cam roller at all. The registering tips of the indicator il and i8 are in contact at zero position as shown at lla and ia in Fig. l and it is at this position that the cani roller 52 contacts theca'fn substantially at the cam axis 55 as designated in Fig. 5 by the numeral 52a for the roller and 53d for its carrying arm.

En Fig. 5' it is clear that there is only one position of cam 513 at which the point of tangency of cam line 5i and of the periphery of cam roller 52a coincides with the cam axis 55. ln varying the setting of the cam the departure from coincidence is of such small extent that deviation on the registering dial is not observable, considering also the mechanical play in the moving' parts and the tensioning action or" spring 21.

In practical use or" the scale described, the percentage mechanism is entirely independent of the weighing mechanism, including the latters indicator l5. The two lrnobs at the iront panel of the scale relate only to the percentage mechanism. By turning the knob 2l, the indicators il' and I8 may be brought each to register substantially at zero and from there moved upwardly along dial l with increasing separation according to the percentage for which the scale is set at the adjusting knob 22. With the true-weight indicator il' in any position upwardly on the scale from zero, as predetermined by the position of knob 2|, the percentage adjustment knob may be turned without eiecting any movement of the indicator il. The only movement effected is rotation of the cani which, in turn, causes the indicator it to position itself with respect to indicator il to register the percentage increase corresponding to the adjustment oi knob 22. Thus, at every position on the dial away from aero, movement of the l-:nob E2 changes the separation of the indicators il' and i3, but at position zero substantially no motion is eieoted and the adjusting knob 22 may be turned without visible effect. This construction assures closed positions of the two indicators at zero registration and avoids any separation by reason of echanical imperfection at this location, which separation might erroneously be construed as requiring a correction of the reading at other parts of the scale.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to theA embodiment herein shown and described, and that changes and modieations contemplated as falling within the scope or the appended claims.

1 claim:

1. A percentage scale having in combination a frame, a calibrated dial, a movable true-weight indicator registering on said dial, a movable percentage indicator biased to register on said dial a predetermined percentage of the registration of the true-weight indicator on said dial whereby said two indicators move apart as they progress upwardly along said calibrated dial, a cam having a contour and a position controlling the separation of the said two indicators, a cam-riding portion carried by one of said indicators and movable to predetermine the separation of said two indicators, said cam being adjustably movable about a pivotal axis iixed relative to said frame for setting the cam for different percentages of separation, said earn having its cam-ridden contour passing through its said pivotal axis, and said cam-riding portion at the Zero position of the true-weight indicator having contact with said cam contour substantially yat said pivotal axis, whereby at each position of adjustment of the cam the two indicators each register sub- 6 stantially at zero on the dial within the limits of visual observation.

2. A percentage scale having in combination a frame, a calibrated dial, a movable true-weight indicator registering on said dial, a movable percentage indicator to register on said dial a predetermined percentage of the registration of the true-weight indicator on said dial whereby said two indicators rnove apart as they progress upwardly along said calibrated dial, means coinpelling one oi indicators to move with the other, resilient means tending to draw said indicators to the same registering point, a cam having a contour and a position controlling the separation or the said two indicators, a cani-riding portion moved by the earn in one direction to separate said indicators against the force of said resilient means, said earn being adjustably movable about a pivotal axis ixed relative to said frame for setting the cam for different percentages of separation, said cam having its cani-ridden contour through its pivotal and said cam-riding portion at the zero position of the true-weight indicator having contact with said cani contour substantially at pivotal axis, whereby at each position of adjustment of the cam the two indicators each register substantially at aero on the dial within the limits of visual observation.

3. 'In an indicating device having a frame, a dial, two indicators movable along said dial and having cam-controlled separation on said dial A and no separation at a dried point on said dial,

a cam for controlling the separation of said indicators as they move along the dial, said cam having its camming contour lying in a plane and being adjustably positionable about an axis fixed relative to said frame and normal to said plane and passing through said camming contour, and a cam-riding element having contact with said contour substantially at said pivotal axis at the positions of said indicators having no separation on the dial, whereby at said positions of no separation angular adjustment of the cam is visually ineffective on the indicators.

ANDREW G. BROWN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,887,845 Mitchell Nov. 1.5, 1932 2,157,705 Jones `May 9, 1939 2,157,706 Jones May 9, 1939 

